Lock for radiator caps



Dec. 29 1925.

I H STANT LOOK FOR RADIATOR CAPS Filed July 5, ,1924

\ FIE l INVENTOR. Iva/v H- 6m:

BY I

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

PATENT IVAN H. STANCE, OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA.

LOOK FOR RADIATOR CAPS.

Application filed July 5,

Ton whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVAN H. STANT, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Connersville, county of Fayette, and State of Indiana, haveinvented a certain new and useful Lock for Radiator Caps; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which like numerals refer to like narts.

This invention pertains to a lock device for radiator caps and mountingstherefor, such as heat indicating devices, emblems and the like, andmore particularly to that type of lock which is attached to theunderside of the cap or to the mounting extending therethrough and isinsertable within the neck of the radiator, after which it is moved tolocking position.

One feature of the invention resides in the means for permitting thelock to be screwed onto the cap or mounting when turned to one positionand thereafter be incapable of being unscrewed therefrom while in theother or normal position of the cap when locked on the radiator.

The further feature of the invention resides in the means formaintaining the looking member in locking position under normalconditions, but permitting its movement toinoperative position whilebeing inserted in the radiator, said means being capable of releasingthe locking member by means of proper application of a key in event thatit is necessary to remove the cap under unusual circumstances.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a portionof the radiator, its neck, locking device, radiator cap and mountingwith parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing thelooking device in side elevation and the cap unscrewed from the radiatorfor permitting the radiator to be filled. Fig. 3 is a section takenonthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1. I In the drawings there is shown a. radiatorshell 10. The shell is provided with the usual neck 11 on which theradiator cap 12 is adapted to be screwed. Said radiator cap is providedwith the mounting 13 which may be 11th? 1 9. 11 9. @11 ind a i g d 1924.Serial No. 724,499.

vice or ornamental mounting of any nature. Said mounting is secured tothe cap by extending a screw threaded bolt projection 14 therethroughwhich is usually secured to the underside of the cap by a bolt.

In place of the usual bolt, a locking device or anchor is provided whichforms the subject of this invention, the same being connected to thebolt 14 of the member 13 by screwing thereon the internally threadedmember 15 which is rotatably held in an annular groove 16 of the shell17 said member being secured permanently therein,

but capable of being freely rotated.

The shell 17 is provided in one side thereof with a longitudinallyextending bore 18, in which a locking pin 19 is positioned so as toreadily slide therein. The connecting member 15 is also provided with acomplementary bore 20 adapted to register there with. By means of thisarrangement, it will be readily observed that the member 1.5 may befreely rotated with respect to the shell 17 when turned in one position,and when turned in the other position the pin 19 will move by gravity toa position where a portion thereof will extend into the bore '1- so asto lock the connecting member and shell and prevent the rotation of theformer with respect to the latter. This enables one to readily screw theconnecting member 15 onto the threaded projection 14L when the cap andlocking device are turned upside down, but when in normal position andthe locking member is in engagement with the radiator shell for lockingthe cap thereon, the free rotation of the connecting member 15 willprevent the unscrewing thereof.

In order that the locking device may be unscrewed from the radiator capwhen it is removed from the radiator after having been in use for aperiod of time, and in event the pin is rusted or corroded so as tostick within the bore, there is provided an opening 21. in the side ofthe shell (J()1l'l1]l\ll1l0t1l3lll, 1 with the bore 18 and a downwardlyextending reduced bore 22 in aligmnent therewith. After the device islocked in position, a lead shot may be wedged and forced into theopening 21 so as to close the same and also the connmniication betweenthe bores 18 and 22. However, if the pin 19 becomes stuck in the bore,the lead shot may be readily melted out and a small wire extendedthrough the reduced bore 22 for forcing the pin into locking engagement,

The shell 17 is connected with a clownwardly extending stem 23 by a balland socket joint connection comprising the ball or head 24 connectedwith the stem 23 having a reduced neck portion 25, the socket comprisingthe lower portion of the shell which is reduced, and the inwardlyextending annular flange portions 26. It will be noted that the reducedportion of the shell is provided with a plurality of ports 27 thereinfor freely permitting the heat from the radiator to pass into the shellfor effecting a heat indicating device.

The stem 23 has the lower portion thereof hollow or bored out, and isprovided with bifurcated ends 28 between which an anchor member 29 ispivotally secured by a rivet 30, the anchor member havinglaterally-extending arms on either side of the stem 23 so formed as toengage the underside of the radiator neck 11 and prevent the removalthereof when in horizontal position, the same being capable of insertionor removal when moved about the pivotal connection 30 to a more verticalposition.

For locking the anchor member in a horizontal or locking position, thesame is provided with an upwardly extending central portion having asubstantially flat surface 31v adapted to be engaged by a locking pin 32in such manner as to prevent its movement about the pivotal mounting 30,when said pin is held in engagement with said surface 31. The pin 32which lies in the bore, is provided on its upper end with a tapered orangular surface 33 which may be engaged by a screw threaded plug 34which is screwed into the side of the stem for the purpose of holdingand locking the pin 32 against the surface 31 for preventing movement ofthe anchor member 29. I The plug 34: is provided with a hexagonalkey-receiving recess 35 in its head for receiving a key 36.

After the locking device has been con nected with the radiator cap, asabove described, the anchor member 29 is moved to an angular position topermit its insertion through the radiator neck, after which it is forcedto a horizontal locking position by a suitable tool. The plug 34.- isthen-screwed into place for locking the pin 32. For looking the anchormember 29 in substantially horizontal position, it is tightened in placeby the wrench or tool 36, after which a lead shot may be forced intothe-recess 35 for preventing engagement with the plug and .its removalfrom looking position. The locking device is so constructed that uponunscrewing the cap from the radiator, it maybe drawn upwardly until thelocking member engages the bottom oft-he radiator ,neck, "which willpermit the shell. and cap. to

turn partially overthe side of the neck by reason of the ball and socketjoint so thatthe radiator may be filled with water. There is, therefore,no occasion to remove the device excepting for unusual circumstances, inwhich event, it may be partially withdrawn and heat applied to the leadshot so as to cause the melting of the same, whereby it will run out ofthe recess 35 and permit the wrench 36 to be engaged therein forunscrewing the locking plug 34. With the locking plug out of engagementwith the pin 32, a suitable tool may be used to move the anchor member29 into such position as to permit the removal of the device from theradiator.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a lock of the character described adapted for attachment to aradiator cap comprising a hollow stem, means for connecting said stem tosaid cap, an anchor member pivotally connected to the lower end of saidstem, a pin .slidably mounted in said hollow stem in position to haveone end in engagement with said anchor member, and a plug having arecessed head for receiving a tool adapted to be screwed into said stemin engagement with the other. end of said pin for maintaining it inlooking engagement with said anchor member.

2. In a lock of the character described adapted for attachment to aradiator cap comprising a hollow stem, means for connecting said stem tosaid-cap, a cross bar pivoted to said stem and having an ear eX- tendingtherein, said ear having a substantially flat surface, a locking memberassociated with said stem and positioned to e11- gage the said flat earfor maintaining said cross bar in locking position, and a locking memberpositioned in said stem to engage said locking pin and maintain it inlocking engagement.

3. In a' lock of the character described adapted for attachment to aradiator cap comprising a stem, means for; connecting said stem to saidcap, said stem having slots located at the lower end thereof and onopposite sides, a cross bar pivotally connected to the lower end of saidstem and located in said slots, said cross bar having an ear extendinginto the shell and movable in said slots, said ear having asubstantially fiat surface, a locking pin associated with said stem inposition to engage the flat surface of said cross bar for holding it inlocking position, the cross bar being pivoted to the stem at a pointbelow said ear, and a looking member positioned in said stem to engagesaid locking pin and maintain it in locking engagement.

4:. In a lock of the cliaacter described adapted for attachment to aradiator cap comprising a stem, locking means mounted on sai'dstem,connecting shell for connecting said stem with said cap, a nut rotatablymounted in said connecting shell, said shell being provided with aconcealed passage having one end communicating With said nut and theother end reduced, and a looking pin slidably mounted in said passage inposition to engage said nut and prevent its rotation When said shell isinverted and slide out of engagement with said nut permitting itsrotation when said shell is in normal position, said concealed passagebeing pro 10 vided with a radial passage connectmg therewith and theperiphery of said shell for receiving a sealing substance for closingthe passage against manual manipulation of said pin, and permitting saidpassage to be opened for manual manipulation of said pin when saidsubstance is removed, substantially as shown and described.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto atfixed my signature.

IVAN H. STANT.

